Petition For Referendum Circulates

WINDSOR LOCKS — The conservative side of the annual battle over local property taxes is emerging: Over the past few days, a few people began circulating a petition to force a budget referendum.

Members of the Windsor Locks Concerned Taxpayers say they are well on their way to reaching the goal of 200 signatures required by state law. William Wood of Webb Street, one of those passing the petition, said Tuesday he collected 57 signatures by going door-to-door on two streets. And Daniel Kervick, the group's most prominent spokesman during the budget fights of the past several years, has dropped his recent vow to let someone else lead the charge.

Kervick said he is ``back into it again with both feet.''

``There were too many people calling me about `What are we gonna do, what are we gonna do?' '' he said Tuesday. ``It's reluctantly, but I have a very strong feeling for the senior citizens of this town.''

The two organizations locked in this year's tug-o'-war over taxes break down largely according to age.

Last week, members of Together Everyone Achieves More, a political action group made up mainly of baby boomers in their 30s and 40s, held an organizational meeting and elected a new chairwoman. They said TEAM, which supports higher spending, wanted to mobilize well ahead of the first expected budget referendum. Last spring, TEAM was formed only after the proposed budget was voted down once.

The Concerned Taxpayers counts among its leaders Kervick, Thomas Stino and Theodore Malec, all of whom are in their 60s. Wood is 74.

Kervick said the petition calls for the referendum ballot to contain two advisory questions: whether town spending should be increased, and whether any tax increase should be limited to one mill. He said arguing for no tax increase this year would be irresponsible.